The Enterprise's Legacy of Waste: A Cautionary Tale for America's Nuclear Fleet The USS Enterprise, once the crown jewel of the US Navy's fleet, has been slowly dismantled since its retirement in 2012.
However, the process of recycling this nuclear powered aircraft carrier has become a cautionary tale about the costs and complexities of dealing with the United States' aging nuclear navy.
The estimated cost of removing eight nuclear reactors from the USS Enterprise has ballooned to $418. 5 million, more than twice the initial estimate.